5 Crucial Lessons that Forrest Gump Teaches Us

Forrest Gump is a movie lover’s delight. It is one of the most entertaining and successful movies of all times, not only because it featured one of the brilliant talents of Hollywood Tom Hanks. The storyline was simple; it depicts the life of Forrest Gump, an ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. Not because some magic has happened because of a sudden stroke of luck. It was the way Forrest has lived his life which teaches us 5 crucial lessons.

The Chocolate Box

One of the iconic symbols of this movie was a chocolate box followed by a famous dialogue by Forrest himself “life is like a box of chocolates…ya never know what you’re gonna get”. It is a simple way of telling that we all have the freedom to make our own choices in life. Throughout his life Forrest has made many important choices and has taken responsibility for all the choices that he have made. He embraced life’s uncertainty and Forrest showed us that it takes gumption to take personal responsibility for all the actions in life.

Words can Cause a Scar in Life

One of the most emotional moments in the movie is when Jenny rejects Forrest’s marriage proposal because she finds him dumb. Although it hurts Forrest a lot, he accepts the rejection with dignity and displays sheer intelligence by stating “I am not a smart man but I know what love is”. Words can cause deep wounds and permanent scars. Not everyone is resolute like Forrest who shows that if you fall in love, you should have the decency of rising in love as well.

The Nike Sneakers

Among a few cherished gifts in Forrest’s life, the pair of sneakers presented by Jenny was of supreme importance. The shoes symbolize the journey of life; it shows that you never actually arrive in life, you just need to go with the flow. One can persevere, but still enjoy the various moments of life; learning to enjoy the journey is your key to happiness.

Listen to your heart

Forrest has always listened to his instincts, even when it meant trouble for him. Life is unpredictable so often when you plan a lot of things, you end up going nowhere. Your gut instincts will show you the right way. Like Lieutenant Dan will be forever grateful for Forrest’s heroic actions to save him. Even when everyone tells you to do otherwise, just listen to your heart.

Never allow you past to dictate your future

The film is all about beautiful quotes: “My mama always said you got to put the past behind you before you can move on’ is one of them. This quote lovingly points out one of the important aspects of life; you cannot allow your past to determine your future. Live in the present and believe in the art of now. Be strong and determined and do what it takes to achieve the things you truly want from life.

If you have not seen the movie yet, it is time to watch this iconic movie starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, Myketi Williamson, Rebecca Williams.